SATA HD then IDE - boot problem

[PencilNeck]

I recently built a computer. I used an ASUS A8N32 SLI Deluxe mobo. Put in a new SATA HD, partitioned it, installed XP SP2, everything went like clockwork. No problems. The HD is seen in the bios as master #3 and it is also jumpered as a master. It is seen as #three because #1 and #2 master/slaves are the IDE controllers. Problem: I have four legacy IDE drives that I have to get data off of and copied to the new drive. If I jumper the IDE drives as slave and plug in to the mobo, when I boot, the comp ALWAYS wants to boot off of the IDE drive and not the master SATA with the OS on it. I have the bios drive setup as floppy/CD/HD. I don't have any capability to change the hard disk drive sequence in the BIOS. Suggestions? THx.

 

[raybay]

Then change the hard drive sequence with jumpers... jumper the drive as Slave and see what happens.

 

[PencilNeck]

raybay,

I tried various combinations of slave / master using jumpers with each of the four eide drives to no avail. I also flashed the bios with latest version. I can't seem to get around the fact that the mobo always looks to the ide drives (controlers) first, and if there is one pluged in, it tries to boot off of it. Thx.

 

[CCT]

If you take any one (not all 4) of the IDE drives, jumper it as cable select and connect it to the middle connector on the primary IDE controller 80 wire 40 pin cable, does it still want to boot from it?

Have nothing on the Black connector and your cd drive only on the secondary cable.

 

[PencilNeck]

TechSpot Addict,

I have not tried "cable select." I'm at work and the comp is home, so I'll give it a try tonight. Thanks for the input!

 

[Cinders]

Usually there is a place in the BIOS that allows you to to set the primary boot drive, but I'll be darned if I could find it in your motherboard manual. Sometimes when you add a drive the primary boot drive is automatically set to the new drive. Other times you are given a chance to choose the boot drive by pushing a Function Key (usually F8) just before the computer boots.

 

[CCT]

Section 4.6.1 is the Boot Device Priority setting section and it would seem that ALL the onboard/connected boot devices/drives will show there so if the IDE drive does show change the setting for it to Disabled.

 

[PencilNeck]

CCT,

Many thanks! The 'cable select' option was the ticket. You da man! I got all data off of three of the drives last night. I have not tried the fourth (too dern tired), but it does not have the 'cable select' jumper option AND it has an old OS on it. I'll try your recommendation and set to disable and see what happens. Once again, many thanks for your assistance. This is my first time on this board, and it has been most pleasant! Cheers, PencilNeck